Public drop-in session Wednesday, Sept. 20 from 5-7pm to view maps and submit comments
SMITHFIELD – The Johnston County Board of Commissioners is moving forward with their redistrict plan, the first time district lines have been updated in about 30 years.
Johnston County has seven Commissioners, who are each elected from seven residency districts. Residency districts mean that each Commissioner must reside in his or her district, but all voters in the County are able to vote for all seven seats on the Board.
These are distinct from electoral districts, in which only voters in that district can vote for that commissioner seat. It is also distinct from an at-large voting system, in which candidates can reside anywhere in the County and all voters elect representatives from all at-large seats.
Generally, counties with residency districts are not required or allowed to redistrict every 10 years, like counties with electoral districts. However, the North Carolina General Assembly recently passed a local bill that allows the Johnston County Board of Commissioners to redistrict their residency districts.
The redistricting must be completed in advance of the 2024 election cycle. Candidate filing for the 2024 election begins on Monday, December 4, 2023 and ends at noon on Friday, December 15, 2023.
Guiding Principles for Redistricting
The Board of Commissioners had decided on the following principles to guide the redistricting of its residency districts:
1. Equalize population
2. Keep incumbents in separate districts
3. Follow natural boundaries and physical features, such as roads or waterways, to the extent possible.
Population Changes
Since Johnston County has residency districts, where every voter in the County votes for every Commissioner seat, there are no constitutional requirements to equalize population as with electoral districts. However, the Board of Commissioners desires to substantially equalize the population of the residency districts with this redistricting.
Johnston County has experienced approximately a 165% increase in population since its residency district lines were created and effective in 1992. The following chart illustrates the population imbalance in the existing districts:
Three Proposed District Maps Under Consideration
Map 3 – Higher Resolution PDF
Redistricting Timeline
- The proposed plans was presented to the Board of Commissioners on September 18, 2023.
- A public drop-in session will be held for citizens to view the maps and submit public comments on September 20, 2023 from 5:00- 7:00 p.m. in the Johnston County Board of Commissioners Meeting Room.
- The Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed plans October 2, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. in the Commissioners Meeting Room.
- The Board may select a final plan and adopt a resolution implementing that plan on October 2, 2023.
The Commissioners Meeting Room is located in the Johnston County Courthouse at 207 E. Johnston Street, Smithfield, N.C. 27577.
Maps are currently on display in the Johnston County Courthouse.
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Related Story: County Commissioners Move Closer To Redrawing District Lines
Hmmmmm why are the citizens of JoCo not able to view the maps online and be able to make comments online? One day for two hours to view the maps and make comments, sure sounds like the commissioners really don’t want to receive the comments of the people they represent. Why is it that public meetings are scheduled at times that are convenient for the commissioners and town council’s and not for the convenience of the citizens they represent?
@FDT: Because the purpose of this redistricting is NOT benefit the voters. Just look at the principles that are guiding the process if you don’t believe me. #VoteOutIncumbents
Don’t you get it, they bend over backwards to get your vote from the constituents.commissioners are no longer concerned about our voice. Plan by design!
The guiding principle of “Keep incumbents in separate districts” tells us the truth behind the intent. #VoteOutIncumbents
Agreed! We need to put them in competition for the seats and get rid of them.
Let’s see your name on a ballot after all the talk.
@Poppy: They’ve made it impossible for a third-party candidate to get on the ballot. He’ll, the Dems don’t even bother running a candidate in half the JoCo elections. Unless you’re part of the good ole boy network, there’s 0% chance of even appearing on the ballot. But I’ll continue to right my own name in, when there’s no good alternative. How about you? I’m sure that you (like 83% of the other JoCo voters) will blindly endorse whoever is listed as the Rep nominee.
Now (Poppysright) Butch, do you really want to see someone else’s name on ballot?
Come the Fall, fire them all!!!!!
Overall the local government has done a fair job at keeping us financially stable. If it were primarily Democrats, we would be broke and in debt. The current commissioners are no better than any other group of crooked politicians but they’re better than the alternative political party.